NARUTO: LIGHTNING AND ROSES CHAPTER 54 (Patreon)

Chapter 54

TSUNADE SENJU

As the fog of unconsciousness slowly lifted, Tsunade became aware of a soft beeping sound and the feeling of a cool cloth on her forehead. She tried to move her arm, but it felt heavy and unresponsive. She opened her eyes, but everything was blurry and hazy.

A faint voice reached her ears, and she struggled to make out the words. "Tsunade-sama, can you hear me? It's Shizune."

Tsunade tried to speak, but her throat was dry and sore. She managed to croak out a faint "Yes."

"That's good," Shizune said, sounding relieved. "You've been in a coma for three days, Tsunade-sama. Thank gods you are awake.”

As Tsunade’s vision began to clearup she was able to make out Shizune’s features. She tried to move her head and was able to recognize the hospital walls and the other various equipments.

The last thing she remmebred was jumping infront of Shinso to shield him from Pain’s attack. She had not expected such an attack. She felt a cup getting brought up to her face and Shizune helped her drink a small amount to moisten her throat.

“Thank you,” she said to Shizune as she dreaded to ask her next question. Tsunade had somehow survived but that attack was massive. And as powerful as Shinso and Kakashi were they were not like her. She was a Senju and an Uzumaki by blood. Two clans that boasted plentiful life force and recovery but she steeled her heart as she looked towards Shizune and spoke up.

“What happened to everyone else?” and she saw Shizune giver her a small smile at her question, easing her heart.

“All three of them were able to make it to the village. Kakashi is still unconscious but I am hopeful about his condition while both Sasuke and Shinso are awake and recovering from their injuries.”

Relief ran through her as she heard those words. So, did questions. Many questions, for after that display from Pain how had they been able to make it. She was able to question Shizune further but the door to her room opened up once more.

She tried to look at whom had come to the room and she was surprised to see that red jacket and those white rowdy hair.

Jiraiya. What was he doing here?

“Hohoho! Finally awake, you sleeping beauty!” her old friend teased in his usual cheery voice. His antics brought a small smile to her face.

“Jiraiya-sama, be careful she has just woken up,” cautioned Shizune in a resigned tone, and Tsunade herself smiled as she saw her teammate. The only one alive now.

“I may be on the bed, but that doesn’t mean I can’t kick your ass, Jiraiya!” she replied to his earlier comment, and Jiraiya had the audacity to laugh, making her narrow her eyes. She looked towards Shizune and ordered.

“Order Shinso to report to me immediately,”—she then turned towards the form of Jiraiya, who had quieted down, --“tell him I need him to take care of a pest.”

Jiraiya immediately raised his hand in mock surrender, “Alright, alright. No need to be so angry. Sheesh, I have been taking care of your duties for all this time, and I don’t even get a thank you." He whined.

“It was just three days, Jiraiya-sama,” Shizune cut in from the back. And Jiraiya immediately turned to face her student.

“YES! Three whole days, days that I could have used to carry out my scientific research!” and Shizune just shook her head at his antics.

“Shizune, give us the room!” she ordered before she lost any more of the respect she held for Jiraiya. And with a nod, Shizune left the room, closing and locking the door on her way out.

And Tsunade noticed how Jiraya’s whole demeanor shifted as Shizune left the room, losing most of his jolliness and adopting a serious look as he began to walk toward the window in the room.

“You should have called for me before undertaking this operation.” He immediately complained, and Tsunade looked down. She should have, but she had been confident. Confident that she could tackle the village’s challenges on her own.

A mistake that could have ended in disaster.

“Your student gave a report to me about this Pain guy, and from what I read, you are all very lucky to be alive,” Jiraiya spoke up once more as he leaned on the window and peered at the vast village.

“What happened after I blacked out?” she questioned Jiraiya. The question had been in the back of her mind for some time.

“After that attack, both you and Kakashi became unconscious. Shinso was the only one who remained conscious and carried you out of the debris. Then Pain began to approach Shinso, who was also quite injured and launched another attack. But the attack was saved as someone else came to your rescue.”

“Who?” Tsunade questioned with a frown.

“It was Itachi Uchiha. He had gotten wind of the attack, and his cover was blown, so he defected from Akatsuki.”

Tsunade gasped at his words.

“Itachi Uchiha?” she confirmed once more. And Jiraiya simply nodded, and Tsunade could feel a huge headache coming her way. That meant that he was in the village. She would have to handle all this appropriately.

She was still disgusted by what she had seen Danzo do with her grandfather’s cells and Uchiha Sharingan. That all could lead to anarchy in the village. She began to rub her forehead as she tried to think about the solutions to so many problems.

“I ordered them to place him in a cell in T&I and forbade anyone from approaching him. Uchiha Sasuke woke up yesterday and caused a bit of a ruckus, but I told him that you would answer all his questions when you woke up.

Tsunade was suddenly reminded of the name that Danzo had taken. A name that she remembered hearing from Jiraiya a long time ago.

“I have a question for you, Jiraiya?” she spoke up. Perhaps, noticing the seriousness of her tone Jiraiya turned to face her.

“Who is Yahiko?”

And Jiraiya’s eyes widened as he heard that name come out of Tsunade’s mouth.

0000

PAIN ( NAGATO )

Pain watched as Kakuzu attacked Madara. Somehow, Madara had expected this. He had asked him not to intervene, so when Karin was about to step forward, he raised his hand to stop her.

“No, let him be. He shall deal with this on his own.” Pain said as the dust began to settle down.

There was no trace of Madara anywhere.

“It seems he ran awa…” and Kakuzu stopped mid-sentence as he clutched his chest. The immortal suddenly fell to his knees and vomited a mouthful of blood.

And there in the shadow stood Madara, his arms still folded as he stared at Kakuzu.

“Disappointing! I had expected better of you, hoping that you would have learned some new tricks,” Madara began speaking condescendingly as Pain noticed some movement around his feet. Pain narrowed his eyes at that as Madara raised his foot and suddenly stomped on the ground.

SPLASH.

“BLEURGH!” Kakuzu retched blood once more as blood splattered on the ground.

“Yet you still remain as weak as the day you fought Hashirama,” Madara added as he stomped once more.

SPLASH.

“AGHHH!” Kakuzu screamed once more as blood splattered more.

“Those are Kakuzu’s hearts, the source of his immortality. But why isn’t he moving?” questioned Karin in a very quiet tone, and Pain focused on Kakuzu’s chakra once more. And found the reason for his immobility.

“It’s a genjutsu! A very powerful genjutsu from what I can tell,” Pain answered as Madara spoke up once more.

“It is an insult to even take your name in the same sentence as him!” and he took out his gunbai and stuck it to the ground.

SPLASH!

“AGHHHH!” Kakuzu screamed in Pain once more. The whole cave was in strict silence except for Kakuzu’s screams. Madara then placed the edge of his gunbai on Kakuzu’s neck.

“B-but how?” Kakuzu barely muttered.

“Did you think you are the only one who could figure out a way to become immortal? You are quite conceited if you do.” And he raised his gunbai and swung it.

“THAT IS ENOUGH!” Pain interrupted, and Madara stopped his attack millimeters away from Kakuzu’s chest. Madara looked towards him, and purple met the shining red of Sharingan.

“We are all partners here. I will not have you kill one of our comrades,” Pain spoke up as he stared straight into the Sharingan.

“I did not plan to either,” Madara uttered as he put it on his back once more and jumped up, landing on the seat by his left.

“As I was saying before being rudely interrupted by our valued member,” Madara began, and Hidan chuckled slightly at those words. However, a sharp glare from pain shut him up.

“I am going to give you the plan on how to bring the five nations to their knees.” And at those words, there was tension amongst the crowd, for the Five Great Nations were no joke, even if, at the moment, there were actually three great nations, with Sunagakure and Kirigakure being in a very perilous state due to their recent history.

“We have Iwa, Kumo, Krir, Suna and Konoha. Five nations, Five units!” Madara said as he began to divulge the secret plan they had prepared beforehand.

“I will assemble five teams, and provide you with additional personnel to complete this mission,” Madara spoke up.

“Where did you get those additional personnel?” questioned Sasori from his position.

“Orochimaru was a resourceful man, and his subordinate is now loyal to me, and now we have command of all of his forces along with some personnel of my own,” Madara replied, and it clicked to Sasori.

“It seems Kabuto has changed loyalties once more,” Sasori finished up though Madara did not acknowledge this as he continued.

“Right now, amongst the five great nations, the biggest threats are Iwa, Kumo, and Konoha.”

And Pan agreed with that assessment. Kump had two perfect jinchuriki along with Unruly A, a true monster. Iwa was led by the Fencesitter Onoki and had their own two jinchuriki, though their relation with one of them was said to be sour.

And lastly, Konoha, a village that lacked a full-fledged jinchuriki yet, was the most troublesome of the three. Konoha was dangerous because of its elite forces, supplemented by the absolute monsters in the form of the two Sanins and then their elite ninjas like Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Maito Gai, and last but not least, Shinso Ken.

Pain stepped forward at that.

“I shall deal with Konoha,” he announced, and then Madara added from the side.

“And I shall deal with Kumo,” he then looked around the room.

“Now, I am going to tell you how the rest of you are going to tackle the rest of the three villages,” and then Pain noticed as Madara clapped his hand.

There was the sound of footsteps as some people walked out of the shadow.

“And I have recruited a certain someone to help us in this endeavor!”

0000

BOOOM! The game is on! And Akatsuki is about to try and flip the board. Is the world ready for it, or will this be the end of the world?