The Jinchuuriki Alliance || REWRITE ||

REALITY: A MERE ILLUSION

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

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"While you may be able to manage against him, I couldn't possibly... no, he's in a completely different league."

"Yes. If we go at each other, we'll either both be killed or, at best, kill each other simultaneously. Even if we increased the numbers, that wouldn't change."

"I didn't expect the kid's guard would be a Legendary Sannin. With him as the opponent... the names of Konoha's Uchiha clan and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist would be tarnished. Even you..."

"Yes. However, any strong one has a weakness..."

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[ KONOHA ]

Asuma leaned against a desk, his signature cigarette missing from his profile. Brown eyes full of concern were fixed on the prone figure lying in bed. Asuma glanced to his left; Gai was sitting on a stool he had dragged in from the living room, his face unusually serious. By the foot of the bed, Kurenai stood with a contemplative look on her face.

Asuma glanced over at the shelf just above Kakashi's face that held two photo frames — one of his old Genin team, and one of his current one. The Sarutobi exhaled through his nose, lingering on Naruko's smiling face.

"It appears they haven't found Naruko yet," Gai said at last, breaking the oppressive silence. "We can at least be thankful for that."

Asuma sighed again, hefting himself up to sit on the desk, his right foot propped up on the stool. "Don't you think that's strange?" He reached into his vest and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, the same one that Naruko had given him during the Chuunin Exam preliminaries. He paused at the sight of it, before poking out a cigarette. "Those guys had already infiltrated the village. It should be easy to find Naruko..." Asuma poked the cigarette back into the pack; it felt wrong, not having Kakashi scold him for smoking in his apartment. "And Itachi knows her face—"

"Sh!" Gai suddenly hissed, his eyes narrowed at the doorway. Just as his finger left his lips, the bedroom door opened and Sasuke Uchiha walked in.

"Kakashi—" He stopped abruptly, taking in the three Jonin situated around the room, and then his sensei who was lying unconscious in his bed. "Why is Kakashi sleeping?" he asked at last as he walked further into the room. "What happened?"

"Nothing... in particular..." Gai answered as casually as possible.

Of course, the futile attempt at covering up the truth was instantly blown when Aoba Yamashiro unexpectedly burst into the room, shouting, "Is it true that Itachi Uchiha has returned? And he's after Naruko?" Aoba blinked when he saw Gai facepalm with an exasperated groan, and then he registered the presence of the youngest Uchiha as Sasuke turned to face him. "Oh..."

"Aoba, you idiot," Kurenai sighed.

Sasuke's eyes widened. 'Itachi's back... and he's after... oh hell no.' The Genin instantly pushed past Aoba as he ran out, vaguely noting Gai's annoyed shout of, "Why does this always happen?" He ignored it, though, as he rushed through the village. 'So he's back after all this time, but only because he's pursuing Naruko?' Sasuke's eye twitched. 'That sounded wrong.' He quickly shook his head. 'Dammit, that fox-girl is rubbing off on me. Back on track — why? What does it mean?'