Chương 19: Before Pain's Attack: Asuma' s Dance with Death
"This isn't good, not at all, your sure of this?" Natsuko asked sitting in her office looking at the jonin across from the desk.
"Yes ma'am, there are reports coming in that two of the Akatsuki have been spotted in the land of fire." he said and Natsuko tsked, putting a hand on her chin, shuffling through the papers,
"Do we have an idea on who?" She asked
"Let's see… team 7 is out… Shisui I want you on this one, and please summon Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Asuma, Kotetsu, and Izumo." Natsuko said, Shisui nodding, before leaving the room to do so, as the Jonin shook her head, the other jonin in the room stepped forwards, answering Natsuko's earlier question.
"We're not sure," he said
"Right, go find out, it's imperative we know and soon. Kaemi, See if you can find out who was spotted of the akatsuki. Katsu, please ask Granny Tsunade, and Shizune to meet here after I send out the mission." She said and the two nodded before leaving. About 10 minutes later Kotetsu and Izumo showed up with Ino and Choji,
"Where are Shikamaru, Asuma, and Shisui?" She said, Ino looking over, shrugging all four were wearing mission gear
"We're here. Sorry we're late" Asuma said a moment later as he, Shikamaru, and Shisui ran into the office.
"This is an Arank mission. Two of the Akatsuki have been spotted in the land of fire. I have reason to believe its the immortals, I think. Hidan and Kakuzu." Natsuko said
"Those are the ones after you and Naruto, right? What information do you have?" Shikamaru said, Natsuko nodded
"One in the same. Other than they attacked the fire temple, and its currently in ruins, not much unfortunately. Ill have a backup squad set up to meet you just in case, Asuma your leading this one. Here" Natsuko said tossing forwards a marked kunai, Asuma grabbing it from the air
"Stop these guys by any means necessary," she said the group nodding before leaving out the door, Asuma and the team running into Sai and Sakura near the training grounds where both Sasuke and Naruto were training at the same time, working on developing their change in chakra nature even further, giving them a message meant for Naruto. The team jumped off a moment later. Running towards a rundown building,
"Ive got a bad feeling about this" Izumo said as Kotetsu nodded
"Natsuko does too, thats why shes already assembling a backup squad rather than wait." Shikamaru said
"Lets go over the information we have on the akatsuki.." Asuma said the three reviewing what information Itachi was able to sneak from the Akatsuki, committing the information to memory, as Asuma devised a sneak attack plan. Finding the two standing outside of a building in the middle of nowhere, Hidan complaining to Kakuzu, his red three speared scythe sitting on his side attached to a rope. Asuma nodded to the team,
"It must be important if your summoning both of us, what is it?" Tsunade asked looking at Natsuko who seemed to be deep in thought,
"The Akatsuki was spotted in the land of fire. Ive sent Asuma, Shisui, Kotetsu, Izumo, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino to head them off… but as head of the medical… I need you to stay on standby, Ive got a really bad feeling about this" Natsuko said and Tsunade nodded
"Your of the Uchiha clan? Hidden leaf ninja" Kakuzu said as Hidan found himself in Shisui's genjutsu, before his head was cut clean from his body,
"Youre coming with us." Shisui replied, and Kakuzu huffed,
"Oh really?" He asked as the team jumped down around him, Kotetsu amd Izumo preparring their jutsus alongside Shikamaru. Kakuzu moving shadows from his back each holding a different mask as he walked forwards, Shisui jumpinf back to avoid the lightninf style
"Firestyle! Burning ash!" Asuma said his attack being blocked with water, as the group continued to fight, shisui powered up his Susano, a green skeleton appeared around him, holding a gord on its side, pulling Hidans body into the gord, Hidan was startled from the genjutsu
"Ah! Hey! What the hell! Kakuzu, wheres my body you lazy bum!" Hidan yelled, enraged
"No idea." Kakuzu said blandly, Kakuzu sending attacks out to the entire team Choji sending his fist out towards Kakuzu, breaking one of the masks as Ino went in for mind destruction jutsu, she and Choji were thrown aside a moment later.
"Kakashi sensei. Do you think Narutos jutsu is near completed?" She asked and Kakashi hummed, before nodding
"He and Sasuke have been working nonstop on it, Id say it is." He said
"He has 1hour it needs to be complete by then, I have a mission for team Kakashi" Natsuko said, Kakashi nodding
"How perfect. I was needing more hearts, especially after the ones you destroyed. This was less interesting than when I fought the first Hokage." Kakuzu said holding Shikamaru, Asuma, Ino, Choji, and Izumo in place. Hidan having been sealed away, as the black threads made their way towards Asumas heart, piercing their skins a yell came from behind
"Rasenshuriken!" Naruto yelled severing the threads in one shot,
"Super beast scroll!" Sai said sending drawings forwards, which forced Kakuzu back, right onto Kakashis hand, as he activated Chidori, having been hiding his presence. A mask cracking and falling to the ground in two heaps, Kakuzu gritted his teeth as his green eyes looked back
"Sorry to interrupt." Kakashi said darkly as his Sharingan eye looked over at Kakuzu
"You guys need to take time to heal, youre really beaten up… wheres the other one?" Sakura asked
"Hey yeah arent there two of them" Naruto said confused
"I sealed him away already. We were able to get here a'head' of time and seal him pretty quickly" Shisui said
"You work fast Shisui" Sasuke said and Shisui nodded, the group continuing to go after Kakuzu, Kakashi jumping out of the way of the hand going for his chest, sliding back on the dirt. Naruto running forwards with his jutsu, Kotetsu and Izumo were both hit with the jutsu, niether were in good shape, Sakura and Ino jumping away with them to heal them, leaving the fight to the rest, Shisui jumping away with them for added protection, as Asuma, Choji, Shikamaru, Sai, Sasuke, and Kakashi all stood ready to go. The six of them together launched all out assaults against Kakuzu,
"Your the ninetail Jinchuriki." He said looking at Naruto, having separated them from him avoiding Narutos rasenshuriken, as he ran forwards again
"So what?!" Naruto yelled back before he was stabbed through, the group yelling for his safety,
"Oh man Lady Natsuko is gonna kill us." Choji said worried, before Naruto jumped behind Kakuzu, not giving him time to recover, hitting him with the Rasenshuriken, sending him into a large crater, dead.
"So youve completed that jutsu you were working on" Asuma said as Naruto jumped back over
"Haha! Yeah, and I just kept in mind what you said sensei" Naruto said as Kakashi and Sasuke finished the job, checking
the guy over, before joining with the five that jumped off. Finding instead Sakura, Ino and Shisui looking solem at Kotetsu and Izumo as they did their best to heal them, but nothing worked, the wounds they suffered… were fatal. So much so that medical ninjutsu wouldn't touch them. The group praying a moment for the two whos last words were to eachother, the group giving them their moment, before making the journey back to the leaf.
"Youre back, how did… where are Kotetsu, Izumo, Ino, and Sakura?" Natsuko said,
"Hidan and Kakuzu of the Akatsuki are no more… however, the battle cost us both Izumo and Kotetsu." Asuma said and Natsuko looked over, her eyes downcast, saddened for the loss they suffered,
"Oh… I see…" she said asking for both teams to submit their reports from the mission by the end of the week, asking Tsunade to perform the autopsys on Kotetsu, Izumo, and Kakuzu to determine cause of death, Naruto also needing to be checked for his arm was well… it looked broken. Finding out that not only was it broken, but it was his own jutsu that did that. The groups making an appearance at the funerals to stand in solidarity, as Natsuko lead the precession as was expected of the hokage. The entire village paying their respects to Kotetsu and Asuma, their gravestones sitting right next to one another, just as they'd wished. Natsuko sending star with a letter to Gaara to inform him of the outcome of the mission.
"Star, you've got a message for me?" Gaara asked as they bird made it's way into the office, the bird chirping before turning so Gaara could grab the letters, unfolding the paper carefully and reading the neat ink, which was broken apart in some places by wet stains, likely from tears. Natsuko and Naruto are very emotional people and felt more deeply, Everytime someone got hurt on Natsuko's command she would feel bad for weeks about it, despite knowing the risks.
'Gaara,
Hope this letter finds you and the sand well, first off. Second, the reason why I'm writing, we now only have two, or really one team in the Akatsuki. Pain and Lady Angel. Kakuzu and Hidan made an appearance in the land of fire but just as with Sasori and Deidara, they were not only unsuccessful, but eliminated. Kotetsu and Izumo, two talented leaf jonin whom I sent in with the team also lost their lives in ensuring the mission was a success. There have also been rumors circulating that the man in the mask works closely with the Akatsuki, and may become a team player soon. The Akatsuki have the 2-7 tails, and at least part of the 1 tail chakra, all that are left is the 8 and 9 tails… I'm putting a plan in place to deal with the Akatsuki if they make another appearance at the leaf and Jiraiya's been sent on a recon mission into the hidden rain, following some leads while Asuma and Kakashi are leading teams looking into another lead as far as the Akatsuki go, best be prepared, there is a war in the air.
Best wishes,
Natsuko 'red flash' Uzumaki 5th Hokage'
Gaara hummed as he refolded the letter, bringing out some other parchment, in order to write the return letter, which he sent with Star
"Your back already, Star?" Natsuko asked, as she sat at her desk, going over some last minute paperwork, letting the bird in from the windows behind her desk,
'Natsuko,
Their deaths aren't on you. As far as the Akatsuki, does this mean Itachi's stint in the Akatsuki is over? Pain, Lady Angel, the masked man, Kisame, and Itachi are the only ones left right? I'm sure Kotetsu and Izumo don't blame you, Natsuko, you need to stop beating yourself up over these things, it's inevitable, but I admire your ability to feel so deeply for your people. If you need someone to lend an ear, I'm always willing. Thank you for the update on the Akatsuki my friend.
Gaara'
Natsuko hummed looking at the letter, looking out at the stars that littered the sky, sighing, from the reports, Asuma came incredibly close to dying as well, but by some sheer luck he pulled through, deciding to go home for the night, there was a battle lingering in the air, everyone could feel it, the ninja were all on edge and so was Natsuko. Kotetsu's and Izumo's family's were near inconsolable, understandably so, the two were dating, having just been going out a couple of months before the tragedy. Niether wanting to speak to Natsuko, understandably so, Kotetsu and Izumo were only the second generation after their parents to become ninja, Kotetsu's mother and Izumo's father also dying in the line of work, the nine tailed attack 16 years ago. Now the remaining members of their families were left to grieve. While Natsuko went to plan for the next attack which would happen inevitably.
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