As the last vestiges of life left Jirobu's body, Itachi was already moving. Fear etched deep lines in his face, the usually stoic boy showing a rare moment of panic. He rushed towards Naoki, his heart pounding in his chest with a dread that made each breath feel like a mouthful of sand. He reached Naoki and cradled him, the cold reality of Naoki's injury seeping through his touch.
Naoki looked up at Itachi, his usual grin marred by a grimace of pain. He chuckled weakly, wincing as each laugh sent a jolt of agony coursing through his body, "Worry not, Itachi. I am a Senju, remember? We heal fast. And fortunately, none of my vital organs were hit."
Despite Naoki's reassurances, Itachi's worry did not abate. His response was cut short as Naoki continued, "Do me a favour, fetch my food pill container from my pouch. Give me one and you take another."
With a hesitant nod, Itachi fetched the food pills. His fingers trembled as he opened the container and fed one to Naoki, hastily swallowing one himself. An instant wave of revitalization surged through them, chasing away the fatigue and replenishing their depleted chakra reserves.
Overwhelmed by the sudden influx of energy, Itachi failed to notice the three Chunin rushing towards him. Similarly, Naoki, who was in the midst of performing a medical ninjutsu on himself, did not notice until it was too late.
When he did, his face was a mask of horror. He saw Iwate, face contorted in rage, about to deliver a brutal punch with the Rock Fist Technique. The other two Chunin, their faces mirroring Iwate's fury, raised their swords high, ready to strike down Itachi.
A scream ripped through Naoki's throat, "ITACHI, WATCH OUT!" But his warning came too late. The Chunin were mere inches away from obliterating Itachi when an astonishing spectacle unfolded.
Golden chains, shimmering with a radiant light, burst from Naoki's back, soaring through the air like unleashed serpents. With unerring accuracy, the chains impaled the three incoming Chunin. Their forward momentum came to a jarring halt, their expressions frozen in shock as they coughed up blood. The chains held them aloft, their lifeless bodies suspended in a grotesque tableau of death.
Naoki stared, wide-eyed and incredulous at the chains protruding from his body, "Aren't these the Adamantine Sealing Chains that Kushina-neechan possesses?"
Barely a moment after the Chunin's bodies had stilled, the chains burst into a shower of golden particles, disappearing as if they had never been. Itachi was at a loss for words, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed, "Naoki… What were those chains?"
Naoki managed a weary smile, "It seems that just as you awaken your Sharingan, I too have awakened a latent power. Those chains are known as the Adamantine Sealing Chains, a rare kekkei genkai of the Uzumaki Clan."
At the mention of the Sharingan, Itachi's brow furrowed in confusion. "Sharingan?" Glancing down, he caught sight of his reflection in a small puddle of water. His eyes widened in shock and awe, "I've awakened the Sharingan!" His voice echoed through the battlefield, a triumphant war cry that marked the birth of a new chapter in his life.
Naoki, a faint smile playing on his face, slowly pushed himself to his feet. "We should check on Shisui," he suggested, brushing dust off his clothes. "Even though he's likely not in as much trouble as we were, we still need to make sure."
Itachi acknowledged this with a small nod, his usually calm demeanour now laced with the slightest trace of worry. As Naoki extended his senses, he zeroed in on Shisui's location. "Found him," Naoki reported, his brow furrowing slightly. "It seems he has managed to take down one Jonin, but he's reached a standstill with the other. That Jonin must be stronger than anticipated."
With stealth guiding their every move, Naoki led Itachi through the maze of destruction towards Shisui's location. As they drew closer, they were met with a sight that left them stunned. The aftermath of Naoki's Water Dragon Jutsu was a sight to behold. However, Shisui's battle had carved out a crater so massive, it had wiped out a decent portion of the village. The wooden houses that had once clustered near the village wall, and the wall itself, were gone - reduced to mere particles and swept away by the remorseless winds of battle.
From his vantage point, Naoki could see Shisui's waning chakra reserves. The Iwagakure Jonin was skilfully keeping Shisui on the defensive, likely waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
An idea sparked in Naoki's mind. He turned to Itachi, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have a plan, but I need your assistance. It involves a jutsu I've been developing, but its current stage makes it difficult for me to use it solo."
He explained the jutsu to Itachi, outlining his part in it. Itachi listened attentively, his eyes widening in surprise. "That's a clever jutsu. It incorporates several shinobi arts into one, doesn't it? Would you mind teaching me after this?"
Naoki nodded, then handed Itachi a set of shuriken, their tips gleaming with a deadly poison. With a nod of understanding, Itachi let the shuriken fly, each one propelled with surgical precision towards the Jonin. Naoki immediately began to mould his chakra, his hands moving in a swift sequence of hand seals.
"Shuriken: Shadow Clone Jutsu."
The ten shuriken Itachi had thrown suddenly became twenty, each clone mirroring the original's trajectory. Naoki's adaptation of the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu, originally invented by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, was still in its infancy stage. But with Tsunade's guidance and his grandfather's notes, Naoki had developed a variant that had the potential to revolutionise the jutsu.
The Jonin, sensing the incoming shuriken, realised that Itachi and Naoki were now his adversaries. He quickly let go of his surprise and prepared to deflect the shuriken. But as he did, Naoki completed another hand seal, a smug smirk on his face.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone: Senbon Transformation Technique."
The twenty shuriken abruptly transformed into senbon. Each shuriken became four poison-tipped senbon, resulting in eighty senbon soaring through the air towards the Jonin.
This was the essence of Naoki's innovation - fusing the transformation technique, a basic Academy-taught jutsu, into the Shuriken Shadow Clone jutsu. Naoki's ambition did not stop there. He could also see the potential of integrating fuinjutsu into this technique, adding another layer of complexity and lethality. He envisioned using his grandfather's treasured Flying Thunder God Technique with this jutsu, teleporting to every senbon, opening up thousands of angles of attack. Naoki even envisioned a scenario where he could create shadow clones and teleport simultaneously to each senbon, unleashing a barrage of attacks on his enemies from countless vantage points.
Even in its current form, the jutsu was proving to be formidable. The Jonin, who had initially been ready to deflect the shuriken, was taken by surprise as they transformed into an onslaught of senbon. The air whistled with the sound of their flight, each senbon catching the sunlight and turning into a streak of lethal light.
The Jonin's eyes widened in surprise, but years of combat experience kicked in. He began to deflect the incoming senbon, his movements a blur. But the poison-tipped needles were too many, coming from too many directions, making it impossible to evade them all.
Meanwhile, Itachi watched in awe as the jutsu unfolded. The transformation of the shuriken into senbon had been swift and seamless, a testament to Naoki's control over his chakra. The sheer potential of this jutsu was staggering, and Itachi found himself eagerly looking forward to learning it.
As the senbon continued to rain down on the Jonin, Naoki couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The jutsu was still far from complete, but its current form held promise. With more time and practice, Naoki knew he could take it even further, turning it into a jutsu that could change the tide of any battle. But for now, it was serving its purpose - giving Shisui the opening he needed.
As the senbon, each tipped with Shizune's specially crafted paralysing poison, rained down upon the formidable Jonin, the Iwagakure warrior did his best to stave off the relentless assault. His movements were a blur of desperation and skill, each deflection and evasion a testament to his hardened battle experience. Yet, even his formidable defences were not enough to ward off the sheer volume of the senbon, and a number of them found their mark. The poison quickly took effect, his movements becoming sluggish and strained.
Seizing the opportunity, Shisui body flickered, appearing behind the Jonin with lightning speed. His sword, glowing with chakra, plunged through the Jonin's heart, ending the gruelling battle in an instant. His opponent's body crumpled to the ground, the life in his eyes snuffed out.
Shisui exhaled, his eyes moving to where Naoki and Itachi stood, only to see Naoki's body sway and then start to collapse. "Naoki!" he cried out, rushing forward with Itachi to catch him before he hit the ground.
Cradling Naoki in their arms, Shisui could see the extent of the damage his friend had taken. Broken bones, a sword wound, all masked by the adrenaline that had kept him on his feet until now. Despite the healing abilities of his Senju heritage, Naoki's body was pushed to its limit.
Shisui's heart clenched as he scanned Naoki's body, taking in the extent of his injuries. A wave of guilt washed over him, making his stomach churn. If only he had been quicker, stronger, he might have been able to prevent Naoki from sustaining such injuries. He questioned his competence as a Jonin Instructor, as a friend. He should have been there, and should have been able to protect Naoki.
As he looked at Naoki's pale face, a sense of helplessness overwhelmed him. Naoki, their team's backbone, the one who always had a plan, who always smiled now lay unconscious, his body battered and bruised.
Shisui felt a sting at the back of his eyes, a sharp reminder of his own perceived inadequacy. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palm. He looked at Itachi, his usually impassive face mirroring his own worry and guilt. They were supposed to protect each other, to support each other. And yet, they had allowed one of their own to get hurt.
The air was heavy with silence after the incident, broken only by their laboured breaths echoing through the surroundings. At that moment, Shisui made a promise to himself - a promise to become stronger, to protect his friends. He would not allow something like this to happen again. He wouldn't fail his friends, his family.
–
Konoha
The door to the Hokage's office flew open without preamble, a Chunin practically bursting into the room, his face pale, eyes wide with an unshakeable terror. His chest heaved with exertion, the veins in his neck pulsating as if trying to burst from his skin. His hand tightly clenched a scroll as if it were his lifeline. There was an urgency in his eyes, a sort of raw desperation that made the air in the room turn stiff and cold.
Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, sitting on the office sofa looked at Chunin, his sharp eyes narrowing at the intrusion. He was a seasoned veteran, a man who had seen countless battles and had weathered many crises, but even he could not help but feel a sense of foreboding at the chunin's entrance. "What is the meaning of this?" His voice, always steady, carried a note of reprimand, but the underlying concern was clear. "This is the Hokage's office, not a battlefield. You don't just barge in without permission."
The Chunin, hastily bowing, stuttered out, "M-my apologies, Sandaime-sama... but I have urgent news."
Minato Namikaze, sitting behind his desk, felt his heart rate pick up. The chunin's words, his demeanour, everything pointed towards a significant crisis. As the Fourth Hokage, he had faced numerous challenges and emergencies, but the dread in the chunin's voice stirred a new level of concern within him. "What happened?" His voice was steady, his blue eyes firm yet filled with worry.
The Chunin handed over the scroll, his hands trembling slightly. "We received a message from Shisui's crow. They were ambushed. Two Jonin, one an Elite, and five Elite Chunin..."
Reading the message, Minato's eyes widened, his heart pounding against his chest. His fist clenched, knuckles white, as he slammed it down onto the desk, his usually calm face a mask of fear and worry. Hiruzen, who had been quietly listening, dropped his smoking pipe, his face hardening as he understood the gravity of the situation.
Minato turned to an Anbu standing in the shadows, "Dog, find Tsunade immediately." The Anbu, a dog mask obscuring his face and gravity-defying grey hair, nodded, disappearing in a puff of smoke.
The door burst open once again, and Tsunade entered the room. Her eyes were steely and focused, her usual laid-back demeanour replaced with an air of seriousness. "Minato, why have you called me here?"
Minato looked at her, his blue eyes filled with worry, "Naoki's team...they've been ambushed."
Tsunade felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath her feet. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath hitched in her throat. She remembered the pain, the loss, the feeling of helplessness when she had lost Nawaki and Dan. She remembered how she had sworn never to let anyone else she cared about fall in the line of duty again. And now, Naoki...
"Tsunade-sama, hold onto me," Minato's voice was urgent yet soft, breaking through her thoughts. She grabbed onto his shoulder, her mind whirling, her heart hammering in her chest.
In the blink of an eye, they were standing in the remnants of what was once a bustling village. Now, it was nothing more than a battlefield, signs of a fierce fight evident everywhere. And there, in the midst of it all, was Naoki, cradled in Shisui's arms.
The sight was a punch to Tsunade's gut. Her breath hitched, her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment. "NAOKI!" Her voice echoed through the barren, desolate space as she sprinted towards him, the world around her blurring into a mass of meaningless shapes and colours. All she could see was the small, fragile body lying in Shisui's arms.
Shisui, upon seeing Tsunade rushing towards them, heaved a sigh of relief that was mixed with a profound sense of guilt. Naoki needed immediate medical attention, and Tsunade was their only hope.
As Tsunade reached Naoki, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. His chest was rising and falling rhythmically, albeit shallowly. The sight was both heart-wrenching and comforting; he was alive, but just barely. She quickly kneeled beside him, her experienced eyes quickly assessing his injuries. His body was battered and bruised, a stark contrast to the cheerful and energetic boy she knew.
She quickly summoned her medical ninjutsu, her hands glowing with a warm, green light. Prioritising his injuries, she started with the puncture wound, her hands moving deftly, but with a sense of urgency. Every second counted, and she was determined to do everything within her power to save him.
Once Naoki was stabilised, she turned her attention to Itachi and Shisui. Tsunade quickly started healing them both, and while she was healing them, she noticed the extent of their injuries. Tsunade then turned to Shisui and said, "What happened?"
Shisui recounted the battle and said, "We were ambushed by enemy shinobi, two Jonin, one of them was an Elite Jonin and 5 Elite Chunin. Itachi and Naoki created an opening for me and I killed the Jonin and ended the battle."
Tsunade, who was healing Itachi, noticed that he had multiple broken bones and internal damage. Tsunade quickly started healing him and said, "Just what did you guys go through? You all are severely injured."
In the meantime, Minato was examining the bodies of the Iwagakure-nin. He recognized one of them - an Elite Jonin from Iwagakure he had crossed paths with during the war. His gut churned with a sickening realisation. This was not a simple rogue operation; there was something far more sinister at play.
He turned to Shisui, his gaze serious, "Did you not sense them?" His voice was calm, but the underlying note of worry was unmistakable.
Shisui shook his head, "No. Naoki did a sensory sweep before we entered the village. He said it was clear. It was only when we were attacked that he sensed them."
Minato's brows furrowed at the revelation. This was an odd occurrence, especially considering Naoki's exceptional sensory skills. His gaze trailed off to a direction, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes, "Unless..."
He approached a building that had been left relatively unscathed amidst the destruction. A seal was etched onto the door, invisible to the untrained eye, but glaringly obvious to Minato. As a fuinjutsu master, he quickly deciphered the seal, his heart sinking as he realized its purpose. It was designed to mask the presence of anyone inside the building, rendering Naoki's sensory skills useless.
Opening the door revealed an underground passage leading to a dungeon. The dungeon was filled with scrolls containing details of various missions. A cold chill ran down Minato's spine as he read through the mission reports. It was clear there was a spy from Iwagakure within Konoha's mission division, leaking information and targeting specific shinobi. His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white. This was an act of betrayal, a blatant disregard for the lives of his comrades.
Minato's mind raced, trying to piece together the larger picture. 'What is Iwagakure planning? We can't afford another war. What is Onoki thinking?' His heart pounded in his chest, his mind filled with worry, not just for his village, but for the entire shinobi world.
---------------------------
A/N: How was this chapter? To be honest, I kinda enjoyed writing this chapter, I tried to make it as emotional as possible, which hopefully I succeeded since it kinda hit me once I read it back.
This little arc if you could call it that, was a learning lesson to Naoki, Itachi and Shisui. This will make them way stronger to prevent such events from occurring again.
Also, all this was a necessary cause. Since Itachi had only awakened his sharingan when his teammate Tenma Izumo was killed by Obito. And since, Tenma isn't Itachi's teammate, he wouldn't awaken Sharingan. Also, MC awakening Adamantine Sealing Chains is an added bonus to this fight, can't have Itachi far surpassing Naoki. And the Adamantine Sealing chains are a necessary things for what I'm planning soon.
Also, if you have any critiques or suggestions for the story like a certain mission or arc you wish me to write, please comment. I'm only a single entity and cannot come with a lot of ideas by myself, which is why I tend to change the story as it goes on, since I think of better ideas. The plot itself is kinda concrete, however, the journey there is not. So do give some ideas. Also do comment information about events that occurred during this time, such as missions.
So do comment and send powerstones as it feels like people are truly engaging with the story and it's a massive motivation factor for me.
https://discord.gg/vgJrmuV7
Hope you enjoyed, see you next chapter~