Chapter 1: The Crow and The Light
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“Lord Fourth!” Spoke a woman with a very high pitched voice. She peaked her head through the slightly open door, raising a hand to use her index finger and prod her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. “Lord Third would like to come in.”
“Let him in. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen my old friend Hiruzen-Sama”
Minato was seated in the chair behind the Hokage’s desk, managing his daily task of stamping and authorizing documents and missions. There had been a lot of paperwork discussing the movements of the Akatsuki and most notably Itachi Uchiha. Having captured already seven tailed beast and almost the eighth, the Akatsuki brought about much controversy over the last few weeks. Being a Jinchuuriki himself, it worried the village that they might have to suffer the loss of a Hokage if the organization ever came after them. But Minato couldn’t worry himself too much about his future conflicts. He had a village to lead and it was very essential for him to remain calm. He also had a sixteen year old child who constantly put himself in dangerous positions, such as his battle with Deidara of the Akatsuki. This was understandable, as the Akatsuki had already attacked his friend Gaara of the hidden sand as well as Sasuke Uchiha, under the orders of his brother Itachi. Through an encounter with an overwhelming number of Akatsuki members, Sasuke’s eyes were stolen and replaced with Itachi’s, who took Sasuke’s eyes as his own. Yes, Akatsuki had been very troublesome lately, which is probably the matter of the discussion with Hiruzen.
“Minato…” Spoke a wary old voice as an elderly man crept through the office room door. “We have a problem….”
“Hello to you too, Hiruzen-Sama. It’s been a while.”
Hiruzen grumbled as he worked his way towards a seat, sitting himself down and allowing a sigh to escape his lips. Hiruzen looked weak, which would be understandable for someone of his age. But the fight he engaged in some few years ago against Orochimaru certainly took it’s toll on his body. He walked with a slight limp that he had to balance out with his oak wooden cane, and his back was hunched so he seemed to always be arched over.
“Yes, it has. And in that while a certain organization has been stirring up trouble amongst the five great nations.”
There he goes. Always getting right to the point.
“Being a kage, I know that much. Brief on the current situation with the Akatsuki. What have they been up to lately?”
Hiruzen shifted in his chair, a sign of discomfort for the subject. “Minato, bodies have been found scattered along the path from the hidden rain village to the hidden leaf.” Hiruzen paused for a moment to catch his breath, throwing in a cough just for the hell of it. “One would assume that the hidden rain village is plotting to attack us soon, but we know better.”
“What is it, Hiruzen-Sama?”
“They’re coming for you and Naruto, the Akatsuki. Until they’ve located the Eight tailed beast they’ll settle with capturing the Ninth.”
Minato grunted, cupping his fist together and placing his chin onto them. “I was afraid that this would happen. But it was to be expected, as I am a Jinchuuriki.”
Minato could recalled so long ago, the night of the incident that struck the hidden leaf village. His heart skipped a beat every time he remembered his wife Kushina who laid dying at his feet. “Minato,...” She managed to speak in her weakened voice. “I would never forgive you if you died with me. Don’t leave Naruto alone, he needs a parent to be there for him. Promise to raise him to be a strong man that I can be proud of. Raise him to be like you.” She pleaded. After Minato had finally promised, she drew her last dying breath before she was gone forever.
“Minato!” Hiruzen shouted, snapping the man back into reality. “You have to stay focus. We need to rendezvous with a the ANBU corporation and a few other Shinobi. Maybe that Kakashi student of yours.”
“Kakashi Hatake, i’ll arrange for him to be there. He’s a very good man, very reliable.”
“You taught him well, i’m sure. We’ll need all the intelligence we can get in order to strategize our counter-attack.” Hiruzen explained. “Minato, another Uchiha will attack the village. We cannot allow ourselves to fall back into the same tragedy that destroyed our village so long ago.”
Minato remembered just perfectly when it first happened, the Madara Uchiha’s crimson reds hues glowing like stars beneath the darkness of his mask. He had experience with fighting Uchiha, and new what to expect.
“Naruto is most likely to be gone during the attack, which is better to keep him away from the Akatsuki” Minato noted.
“Naruto will be leaving? Where is he going and why?”
“A retrieval mission, to bring back his friend Sasuke.”
“Ah the young Uchiha, brother of Itachi. What happened to him?” Hiruzen wondered
“He was attacked by a group of Akatsuki, who stole his eyes to give to Itachi. In return, he was given Itachi’s eyes and now they both share a new found power according to the reports. But Sasuke has left to find his brother and avenge his clan. To think of the trouble that Itachi has put the boy through, killing his parents, disappearing for years and sending people to steal his eyes. That’s enough to drive any man insane.”
“I see…” Hiruzen concurred.
“And not to mention that he---” Minato was about to add to his last sentence when a sudden eeriness has silenced them both.
A heavy chakra began flowing through the air. It was malevolent and turbulent, slamming so much pressure onto Minato and Hiruzen that they would have to use their full strength and will to stay seated or stand up. The very texture of the chakra resonated darkness and hatred. It was repulsive and quite disgusting, and could only be identified as that of an Uchiha’s.
“This is---”
“Itachi. He has arrived much sooner than expected.” Hiruzen exclaimed. His words were followed by the booming crackle of a sudden explosion that devastated the area, a considerable portion of the village engulfing in flames. Minato stood up quickly, storming towards the window behind him. He clenched his fist angrily as he watched his village shroud in flames, turning back towards his desk and retrieving his special triple pronged kunai from his desk.
Hiruzen turned around to address the woman who had been standing behind them the entire time. An assistant maybe, or a guard who escorted him around the village. “Gather the Anbu and Hyuuga Police Officers, tell them to began evacuating the citizens and preparing for defense.”
The woman nodded, spinning on her heels in a rush to exit the room. Hiruzen growled in a fit of anger, turning back in his chair.
“Minato---” Hiruzen uttered before pausing. His eyes shifted towards Minato only to find an empty space where the man had been standing. “The knucklehead is rushing into battle all by himself!” He complained before settling down. “Very well. If there is anyone who can prevent this situation right now it’s Minato, considering that I am in no condition to fight.”
Meanwhile, Minato raced through the air, leaping from roof to roof in direct pursuit of Itachi. He used his basic skills in sensing chakra to follow a path towards the Uchiha’s location until he arrived in a quiet part of the village, grassy, training dummies posted around on wooden sticks. The Training Grounds. He landed in a tree, his eyes scouting the area for Itachi. Once he had seen him, he lifted his triple pronged kunai and threw it directly towards him, ready to engage in battle.
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