The weather was windy and the leaves flew around in rustling clusters.
"It might rain." People said as they hurried back to their houses and around shops.
People hurriedly bustled around Konoha under a peaceful facade. At a glance the town seemed quiet, but it was just the wind that drowned out the harsh whispers and arguments of the citizens.
Sasuke walked faster behind Tsunade. "What are you going to tell them?" He asked her, his voice stubborn.
Tsunade walked down the flight of stairs and down the Hokage tower.
"They said they wanted to meet and that's what I'm going to do. "
Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, "But what are you going to tell them??"
Tsunade clicked her tongue in annoyance, "Sasuke Uchiha are you my superior?" She said angrily as she hugged her jacket closer around her. "Its's quite windy today." she thought.
Sasuke pursed his lips and followed her. Bit he couldn't stop himself and he blurted put yet again, "They're just going to blame you and ask you to shut down the search-"
"For fuck's sake! I know, I know, I know! Stop telling me what to do brat." She turned and goared at the Uchiha angrily.
Normally people would back off after being spoken to in such a harsh tone by the Hokage, but Sasuke was used to it now. So he glared right back.
"Lady Hokage," Shikamaru greeted her, in a slightly lazy manner.
"Hm?" Tsunade turned to him as he held out a piece of paper.
"These are just a few questions and arguments they might make and how you can...you know, retort back." Shikamaru said and rolled his eyes.
He had to go with Tsunade as well and it was honestly such a pain in the ass. He would have declined it but his dad said that it would be good experience for him and so Shikamaru was stuck with being Lady Tsunade's assistant for the weekend.
What a drag...
Meanwhile Sasuke got to be the leader one of the squads responsible for keeping an eye out for the Akatsuki.
There were chances of Akatsuki attacks especially when the Hokage wasn't available. It had never happened before and it was highly unlikely, but they refused to take it lightly.
Heavy guards were always patrolling the outskirts and borders of Konoha, and all the genins and chunins were always on the lookout.
Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck and muttered to himself about how all he wanted was just 8 hrs of sleep.
And why couldn't Lady Tsunade just ask her assistant anyway? Or maybe even someone older than him or with more skills?
"The Kazekage is of your age. If we are not able to properly communicate, I'm counting on you." Lady Tsunade suddenly spoke, and Shikamaru froze.
He didn't realise that he accidentally spoke it and Tsunade's Sannin ears caught it.
He wondered whether he should apologise or not, but Tsunade didn't seem to care as she walked away.
With a sigh, Shikamaru followed.
Sasuke watched them go. Their silhouettes receding slowly. He let out an angry huff and turned on his heels.
He passed the villagers who were rushing about, "Looks like it's gona rain huh." They said to each other.
Sasuke looked up at the darkening sky, agreeing.
He passed by Ichiraku Ramen, and didn't notice the men in dark robes.
Inside the small shop, three men sat, their faces hidden with bamboo straw hats as they ate the ramen.
"This has to be the best ramen I've ever had." The youngest one spoke, causing Teuchi to laugh slightly. He turned around and poured him some more noodles, "Take some more ahahah, anyway we are going to close soon. It looks like it's going to rain today."
The young man happily slurped his bowl of noodles and told them to stay safe and not go out during bad weather. His quiet companion paid for the food and they all left the shop.
"That young kid reminded me of him..." Teuchi's daughter spoke with a sigh, picking up the bowls and washing them.
Teuchi lowered the curtains and shut the shop with a heavy sigh as well, "Yeah...me too."
Both of them quietly closed the shop and continued work, as they reminisced about that bright child who came to their shoo every other day. The were blissfully unaware of the fact they had just met him once more, but couldn't recognize him.
The three men continued to walk along the river, while the villagers rushed to get in.
Rain had already started falling lightly, covering the village in a hazy screen.
For a while no one spoke, and they continued walking. They finally halted when two figures appeared from the other end.
Asuma and Kurenai casually walked up the road, chatting about something. Maybe it wouldn't have been as suspicious if they weren't walking randomly in the rain.
Both parties stopped when they came face to face, and stood there silently for a while.
"Who are you?" Asuma asked. Obviously he knew who they were, but still he asked, trying to act relaxed.
Kisame sneered.
A second later both parties were at each other's throat.
Kisame and Asuma were locked in a deadlock, with Kisame's sheathed Samehada pressing down on Asuma Chakra blade knuckle, while Asuma pushed back with equal strength.
Kurenai had leaped behind Itachi and put a kunai against his neck, while he simply stood there.
There was another person, who had been left unattended. But he just stood there and watched. Kurenai and Asuma exchanged glances and Asuma kicked back Kisame and rolled back, throwing a few kunais in the third person's direction.
Surprisingly, they hit him square in the abdomen and lodged in his stomach.
For a second the Konoha Jonins dared to hope that they actually got him.
But that hope soon dissipated when the person vanished in a poof if smoke. Just a clone.
A bead of sweat appeared on Kurenai's forehead as she realised that there is probably one more member out there in the village somewhere.
She was still thinking when she felt Itachi move.
"Don't you dare move." She spoke sternly, pressing the kunai down upon his neck.
Itachi ignored the knife as he glanced at the lady behind him.
They locked eyes and Kurenai's eyes widened as she saw him activate his Sharingan.
Quickly jumping back, she cast a genjutsu on him, which distorted the distance between them.
At the same time Asuma punched Kisame and he pushed into Itachi, making Itachi stumble towards a tree. Kisame scoffed as he picked himself up, sparing not even a glance at his partner. He turned to Asuma and spoke, "You're good."
Asuma flicked his wrists and adjusted his blade knuckles, "You think so?"
Kisame finally fully faced him, and unwrapped the bandage around Samehada, "But no match for me." He grinned as he landed heavy blows on the Jonin before him, Asuma doing his best to defend himself.
At the same time, Itachi was trapped in a genjutsu under the tree, immobilising him.
To the naked eye it would seem that he was just standing under the tree and not moving, but in the genjutsu, Kurenai had appeared out of the tree, ad held a chakra string to his neck.
Itachi looked at her with unimpressed eyes, causing Kurenai to frown.
"Do you really think such low level genjutsu could ever work on me?" Itachi spoke slowly.
Kurenai tightened her grip on the kunai, pressing down on his throat. To her surprise, a thin line of blood appeared on her neck.
She gasped and found herself in place of Itachi, under the tree, with Itachi above her holding a kunai.
"Wait what-?" Kurenai started but stopped when she found herself unable to move.
She looked down and found herself bound to the tree with sharp chakra threads. The drops of water hanging on the thread made it glint evilly.
Kurenai didn't dare move as she knew that a single moment could end up with her covered in severe cuts.
She could only watch as Itachi walked away, not even sparing her or his partner a glance.
Kisame smirked as he saw Itachi walk away leisurely.
He pushed back Asuma and laughed.
"I should stop going easy on you." He said as he swung Samehada and with such a force that Asuma barely dodged in time.
The ground now had a deep hole in it as it rapidly filled up with rainwater.
Asuma could sense the heavy aura around the sharp spiky sword.
"That's a weird sword." Asuma barely managed to speak.
Kisame grinned, "Don't be rude, look, now it's sad."
He swung the sword and landed a strike at Asuma's side, where his clothes tore and showed fresh new blood.
Asuma clicked his tongue and was about to jump to Kisame's side when he felt his chakra drain.
He stopped in his step and held his wound.
Then, he looked up at his grinning opponent.
His sword had visibly grown, and his chakra had suddenly depleted.
Was there some kind of connection?
He watched as Kisame took another step forward and raised his blade, he watched him swing it, anticipating it to land on him at anu moment. But that never happened.
Asuma found himself being grabbed by somebody and pushed out of the way. The suddenness of it all made him close his eyes and clutch at his bleeding wound.
"Don't worry." A voice reassured him.
Only then did he open his eyes and saw Might Guy smiling his signature smile at him, and flashed him a thumbs up.
"His sword....I think it feeds on chakra. Don't get close to it." Asuma said in a low voice, and Might Guy nodded. He patted Asuma's shoulder and went to Kisame. Asuma's eyes followed his figure and saw that Kakashi too had appeared. He stood in front of the swordsman in a lazy manner.
Atleast, it looked lazy to the average eye, but Asuma, who had been teaching alongside this man for several years now, could tell that he was clearly on alert.
"Kakashi!" A female voice suddenly rang out, grabbing the attention of all the men.
"Huh? Oh you..." Kisame turned towards Kurenai who was standing still, bound to the tree.
"There are three of them. One is Itachi. He just left in that direction," She nodded her chin towards the opposite direction. "And there's a third one but we didn't see him."
"Oh look at this honorable young lady. Sharing information so loyally. Very nice." Kisame laughed.
"Guy...you heard? Itachi..." Kakashi whispered to the man next to him, who stood in a stance, with his hand out facing towards Kisame in a challenging manner.
"Oh yeah, him. Don't worry, let's finish this guy up first." Guy responded confidently.
Kakashi nodded and the turned to Kisame.
"Alright let's go."
_______________
Itachi walked down the narrow familiar roads and headed in a single direction.
A very conspicuous lone figure, in suspicious black clothing and unclear face. Yet he didn't see anyone soaring him a second glance.
It wasn't like there were many people anyway, an those who were still out here in the rain hurried to find shelter in shops and restaurants. People huddled like the ignorant scum that they are and blatantly ignored him.
Itachi's frown deepened.
He walked faster now. It wasn't noticeable but he did.
Sasuke's team...should be around here...
Itachi stepped in front if the Hokage tower. He let out a huff, thinking about how the Hokage left the most important area to a teenager instead of the much more talented ANBU.
He turned to look at either side but was only met with silence.
Was he not here? Had Sasuke left the place he was supposed to protect? Did Itachi receive the wrong information?
He stood in the rain for a while, wondering what to do, when a clar voice rang out,
"You—!"
Itachi tilted his head in that direction, and found himself face to face with his brother, Sasuke Uchiha.
"Sasuke." He said.
The next moment Sasuke's eyes widened as a hand gripped his throat and slammed him to the nearest wall, and an audible crack rang out.
"I was looking for you."
_____________________
A/N:
I uh...i have no excuse. I had exams yeah.
But uh,, lacking Motivation ngl.
No i will not drop this story. Never.
But yah I'm really bad at constant updates sorry.
;v;
Tysm for reading and bearing with me haha
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Yours Truly,
23