∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗
Eyes Of A Demon

───────

The sky is colored with a captivating navy blue and a shower of stars. Sunagakure is a breathtaking village. Misa hasn't gone out of Konoha in a long time but it feels magnificent. The team had an amazing dinner and can rest their aching muscles.

"Looks like we are roommates." The Akiyama heard Naruto's abrupt voice. He is coming into the room and he puts down his backpack on the floor. "Finally get to relax. My body can't move an inch." He lays down on a comfy bed. He feels like he is floating on cloud nine after the long travel. Misa takes her eyes off from the view and does the same of laying down on her back. The two friends stare up at the ceiling as they start talking.

"Hey, Naruto."

"What is it?"

"Since you are Jiraiya-sama's pupil, what was it like?"

The boy etches a smile and the whisker-like cheeks went up. He was pleased by her question. "There's so much I want to say about him." He said. Misa's expression puzzled "Like what?" She questions. Naruto let out a sigh before sitting up on the bed. "He is an exceptional master. He wouldn't be called a Sannin when he has the abilities that are higher than any other shinobi. But ero-sennin taught me many things on how to become an outstanding one." Naruto remembers one moment in a conversation.

"He understood that my childhood wasn't the happiest. He once told me 'Pain allows people to grow and how you grow is up to you.' I thought about my goal of becoming Hokage." Those wise words from a man like Jiraiya helped Naruto. The Sannin has lived a long life but his story encouraged many shinobis. Then, Misa sits up with a well-pleased smile on her face. "That's a beautiful thing from Jiraiya-sama. You are very lucky, Naruto." She sees him sitting up on the bed. "I sure am." Nodding his head and grins. His ocean-blue gaze lands on Misa.

Naruto suddenly asked her "Do you still think about Sasuke?" Once he said that Misa's smile drops down. The blonde boy starts to regret bringing up a very sensitive topic. However, she didn't mind it. She is open to answer his question. "Just like you and everyone else, I still do think about him." Misa bends her petite legs and hugs them close to her chest. "I sometimes wonder if he is the same person as we remember. It wasn't easy getting used to not seeing his face ever again but I'm sure he did grow into a fine, young man." The Uchiha boy was anti-social and mysterious but he had kindness in him. Though it doesn't change the fact that he will never forget the pitiful lost of his clan.

When standing right back up, Naruto makes his way over to Misa's space and he wraps an arm around her shoulders. A sympathetic atmosphere makes its presence. "That guy is all we know is our friend and of course, your great love." Naruto indicated as Misa rested her head onto his warm chest. His hand squeezed her shoulder as a reassuring gesture. "We will meet Sasuke someday, Misa-chan. Mark my words." Naruto was confident that all four of them will reunite. A small smile curved her lips "I believe you Naruto and I appreciate your caring heart." Misa said sincerely. They watched the stars twinkling with the moonlight glowing on their faces.

As the night goes by, a whole new day starts.

It was astonishing that Lady Chiyo decides to cooperate with them. The retired Suna shinobi is still moving her feet at an older age. She joins Team Kakashi as they swiftly go through the wilderness that was further away from the village. Misa looks over at her left shoulder; Lady Chiyo is an interesting woman. The surprising attack she did on Kakashi was like no other elderly person could do. She must've been a level-headed shinobi during her era.

Then, Sakura moves herself to go next to Naruto. "Hey, Naruto. I have a question for you." She spoke and he delivers a nod. "When was the time you were targeted by the Akatsuki?" The kunoichi's tone of voice sounded serious. Naruto didn't expect that to be asked. In his mind, he remembers that moment. Sasuke fought Itachi but was vanquished when he tried defending Naruto. "I don't know." The boy lied. Misa heard his answer and contradicts it. She can tell by the tone in his voice that he wasn't being honest. It was a bit apprehensive but Kakashi went on to inform about what happened three years ago.

"There was that one time when two people from the Akatsuki entered Konoha to make contact with Naruto. However, I have no clue why though." The man proclaimed, considering he did face a barbaric battle.

"Why did they waited?" Sakura asked him.

"It could be that it's not because they didn't want to but because they couldn't. Because Jiraiya-sama was always hanging close to Naruto." Kakashi makes a mental note that the Akatsuki has some kind of goal to accomplish. Not highly confident what their goal is about but it is rather lethal like a weapon. Lady Chiyo added another convenient reason that the secret organization is collecting...more like abducting Jinchuriki's sealed tail beasts to create a powerful creature. A total of nine tailed beasts have different yet extraordinary characteristics whereas it can lead to an unbeatable fight or worse, a deadly war.

Subsequently, the group has been moving their feet for almost an hour with no breaks. About a mile away, Misa's sensory was strong that she detects chakra energy. She dares to skitter away from her team and goes further ahead. Everyone was bewildered. "Oi Misa-chan! Wait!" Naruto yelled for his friend to slow down. But she carelessly disobeyed and continues finding the person. They have no other choice but to follow her.

In her rosy pink irises, Misa spotted a tint of the black and red outside of the wilderness. She effortlessly lands on the ground and comes face to face with a rogue shinobi. The squad and Chiyo arrived just in time, they all have staggered looks. It wasn't a regular rogue shinobi—in the flesh was Uchiha Itachi.

The man's intimidating aura makes them feel weak to the core. His Sharingan holds many ominous emotions. He stares deep into their soul like they don't have the advantage to go against him. Kakashi sighs at first "I underestimated you back then. But I'm not that pathetic." He made a remark, his students looked at him quizzically. "It's not going to work the way it did before, you see." The Copycat Ninja points out about Itachi's eyes. Stating that they have weakened.

"I'll go first." Kakashi directed.

Misa turns herself around to look up at the man worrisome. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" She asked him. The man does a smile underneath his mask and his mismatched gaze softened. "You can trust your sensei." He said candidly, ruffling her ebony head. Misa listens by stepping away and letting Kakashi do the first attack. Itachi's crimson eyes are drawn to the girl. She appears as a pure angel from the heaven lights but that innocent face won't fool him. Out of nowhere, Kakashi charges to throw a punch but Itachi caught before it him. But in the corner of his eye, he sees a Shadow Cone going for the group.

Naruto didn't waste a minute going after the clone with his Rasengan. He got it, although, he noticed Sakura, Kakashi, and even Chiyo collapsed on the ground. "You guys! Are you okay?!" He was about to go help them but they were standing right back except they were Itachi's clones. Naruto becomes very confused about what is happening. It felt like he was stuck in a brutal dream.

Instantly, he hears a familiar voice shouted from his back. "Naruto! This isn't real!" The Uzumaki jolted and looks over his shoulder to discover Misa with a kunai knife in her hand. The two have their backs facing each other. "What do you mean?" He asked under his breath. His blue eyes stared back at the clones. "His Sharingan can play tricks to make us fall for his bait. It may sound like a typical Genjutsu but they aren't ordinary as you think. His way of virtual reality can affect us physically and mentally." Misa explained to him.

Naruto looks around where they are at, it was just her and himself against Itachi. "Then, how are you in the same illusion as me?" He questioned. "I don't know. He probably cast an existence beforehand." Misa responds without a clue.

"You certainly do know about my Genjutsu and that intrigues me."

Itachi's voice hauntingly echoes in their ears. His clones began morphing into crows. It created his body that is floating mid-air. The birds are surrounding Naruto and Misa like they were trapped in a cage.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

"These eyes aren't the only way I can activate a Genjutsu. I can do it with one finger."

The Uchiha motions his index finger and points at them. Naruto glared furiously and Misa veers to look directly up at the rogue. Just as Itachi expected, she has some guts to fight him. "It's about time you both go to sleep." His sinister-like voice taunts them. Naruto reacted quickly and clasp his hands together. Suddenly, a burst of chakra caused the surface of the land to shake. Misa gasps from the inexplicable, rush of energy. "He has grown," Itachi noted. Naruto's chakra control ruptured but didn't do an effect. "Hmph, not quite." The Uchiha snide and creates a hand sign. Abruptly, Misa noticed the flying crows transformed into shurikens.

"Look out!" She jumps in front of Naruto to guard him. The girl strikes at the flying sharp objects with a kunai to avoid getting hit. However, some of them punctured her arms and legs. She groans in agony, trying to resist the pain. "It's only a Genjutsu. It's only a Genjutsu." Misa says that repeatedly. Naruto understood that this is a virtual reality but witnessing his friend getting pierced to the skin made him enraged. Her fragile, injured body is still guarding.

"Long time no see, Misa."

She heard a voice, a strangely familiar one. Her hazy vision becomes clear at the sight of Sasuke but looks entirely different. She gasps in horror, he was a demon. Long, stone blue hair draped his face and his skin was dark gray like snake scales. Those menacing red eyes, sharp fangs over his dark lips, and a black star-shaped mark on his nose bridge. Sasuke speaks with a nefarious smirk "Seeing you like this," he lifts a hand and chokes her delicate neck, "it enlightens me." His dark eyes were bloodthirsty like a sadistic demon.

"Misa-chan snap out of it!" Naruto tries breaking her free from the fake Sasuke. Suddenly, the Jinchuriki gets violently kicked in the abdomen and flies into the air. Naruto gritted his teeth as does his best to stand back up and tries to save Misa. "Love makes me weak and grow in despair. You're nothing to me." Sasuke's relentless grip suffocated her. She couldn't move her paralyzed body. Everything is not real. Misa wanted to believe that but seeing Sasuke like this shattered her heart. Tears start streaming down her face. Misa's vision slowly darkens.

Someone...anyone...please save me.

"Misa-chan, Naruto!"

She gets startled by Sakura's abrupt voice. The Akiyama can feel the pain in her body is no longer there. Misa shook her head a little to make herself come back to reality. She looks from left to right, Lady Chiyo and Sakura provided their chakra to break the Genjutsu. Sakura furrowed her brows "Were you crying?" She asked skeptically. Misa didn't understand at first but she touches her face and the tears are still there. So then she wipes it away with her sleeve. "The Genjutsu wasn't a pleasant experience," Misa answered dryly.

Kakashi can tell that his students are alright now. His blazing gaze hasn't left Itachi this whole time. "Get ready, everyone!" He was resolute that this main event is not going to be smooth and easy. He sprinted his legs to make the first hit on Itachi. The rogue immediately performs a Phoenix Flower Jutsu and aims for his opponent.

The Copycat Ninja rapidly dodges the shooting fire and jumps in the air. He looks back at the people "Here comes the next attack!" He warns them. Itachi blows out a humongous fireball. It almost got to them but they escape from the flaming orb and safely hides in the wilderness. Once it hits the trees, a gust of smoke overlaps the area. Itachi starts hearing static noises. He squints as the gray smoke began fading away. A flash of electricity appears right before his eyes. Kakashi has the Raikiri in the palm of his hand.

When the man lunges at his opponent, Itachi leaps himself in mid-air but his jaw slightly drops at the unexpected person coming after him from above. It was no other than Misa. "Hyōton: Fubuki Jinfū no Jutsu!" The cold air of ice and snow deliberately hits Itachi. He went straight to the ground causing an erupt collision. Misa lands back down and looks at the dust that is being blown away. Her expression grows stunned, he is standing right in front of her perfectly fine.

Cursing in her head, Misa should've known it was a Shadow Clone that she attacked. They have to fight more aggressively because this man is invulnerable to compete. "How interesting. You must be from Yuki no Kuni." Itachi implies about her ice abilities. "I am one of them." Misa strongly affirmed. "I see." The Sharingan user puts on a smirk. He dashed his feet to hurl a punch. Misa's eyes widened and caught it in both of her hands. She uses all of her force to not have him strike at her face. She retaliates by lifting her leg and in a sturdy strength, she kicks his stomach.

Itachi grits his teeth and has his hand over the middle. He has to admit, for someone that small, Misa is very strong. After watching the merciless moment from the Genjutsu, she has some type of relationship with Sasuke. He assumes that his little brother has a lover. Itachi looks back at Misa, she is standing tall with pride. Her hands promptly make signs.

"Hyōton: Samui Kōri Hari!"

Blood red eyes enlarged, the rogue instantly evades from the icicle senbons. Misa managed to use her Taijutsu as a way to get to him. Her speed is agile and she lets out a battle cry. A fist uppercuts the enemy that sends him backward. Even with a single hit, Itachi hasn't underestimated yet. He speaks out "From the start of this fight, I was anticipated that you have some special skills." His Sharingan meets with her stern gaze. "You are one of a kind." Misa wasn't sure if it was a compliment but she doesn't hesitate to strike back once again.

Blocking her fist, Itachi knees her in the middle and viciously kicks her away from him. Having her fly into the wilderness. Misa grunts by her aching body but felt a warm chest pressed against her back and arms around her waist. "You are so brave to fight him by yourself." A deep, husky voice spoke. Misa looks up to see her sensei. She can recognize the warmth in his eyes. "You've done enough. I'll take over the rest." Kakashi gently has her sit down on the grass. "What are you going to do now?" Misa asked him. His hands perform hand signs "I'll be using something that you might know of." She was a bit puzzled about what he meant. A ghostly mist begins to cover the wilderness.

As it gets heavier, their eyes can't see a thing.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

In the mist, Itachi observes through his Sharingan. A frown is written on his face "Stop playing these childish games and come out, Kakashi!" He demanded. Footsteps made pitter-patter sounds. The silver-haired man comes at present from standing behind a tree. "I suppose we could." He stands firm and without waiting, he throws kunai knives. Itachi easily steps away from them and does his fireball jutsu that causes the mist to vanish. 

Shortly after, Kakashi is nowhere to be seen. However, he went forthwith by popping out of the ground and does an uppercut. Unfortunately, he misses just before he had the chance. Itachi holds down the man's fist and grabs the back of his neck to lock him in place. He cast a Genjutsu on Kakashi. Although there wasn't an effect. Itachi looks at a far distance, another Kakashi comes out of the pit of a hole that was made from the previous attack.

"This is a Shadow Clone." The Uchiha discerned.

Just like that, the real Kakashi yells loud and clear "Take him out, my Shadow Clone and all, Naruto!"

"I know!" Naruto sprinted with his clone as it forms a Giant Rasengan. He remembers a word of advice from Jiraiya that it's possible to build a massive chakra. He believes it and wants to utilize his special technique. Naruto's ocean blue eyes are now fiery, orange slits like the Kyuubi. Once he demolished Itachi, a miraculous explosion happens. But the boy also spotted something before the man was beaten to his defeat. A smile.

The group gathered together and found what really surprised them. It wasn't Itachi that they fought, it was a different person. Kakashi turns his head at Chiyo "Do you know him?" He asked. The elderly woman nodded "Yura, he is a Jōnin of Suna." She apprised. The people reacted all astounded. Chiyo then told them that he served in the council for four years and went missing after Gaara got kidnapped. "Could he be a spy for the Akatsuki?" Sakura wondered. Kakashi answers "It seems like it. The Fire Ball Jutsu was created by the Uchiha Clan and they used a lot of preference. And that jutsu was a real thing." He stated. The enemies duplicated themselves but it has no relation to the Transformation Jutsu. It's a greater level of chakra control.

As the afternoon passes, it soon becomes nighttime. After that cruel battle, they needed a break before moving forward. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi are sleeping while Chiyo and Misa sat by the fire. "Shouldn't you be getting some rest, dear?" The older woman asked. "No," Misa shook her head, "I am not that tired." She simply replied. They watched the fire burning the wood with bright flames and sparks. "Misa is your name right?" Chiyo watches the ignited fire when asking. "Hai." Misa nodded with a subtle grin. The elder drifts her head to take a brief look at the young beauty. She has a royal princess appearance that belongs to a fantasy novel. So beautiful, kind, and compassionate.

"You don't mind having me talk about a relative who was once beloved to me," Chiyo spoke mellow.

"Sure, I would like to hear." Misa nodded her head.

The old woman begins to tell a story. "It's about my grandson. When he first came to the world, he was like a wonderful gift because I always wanted grandchildren ever since my son found his lover. Sadly, my son and his wife couldn't live long because they were murdered in a battle." Chiyo takes a glance at Kakashi. She continues with the story "For many years, I raised my grandson and try to make him feel happy. He never liked interacting and it concerned me whenever he was alone. But one day, he was so amazed at first sight when I introduced him to puppetry. He crafted many of his own that were well-made. What my grandson desired the most was his parent's love.

"The boy wanted to forget about the tragedy that he decided to create replicas of them but as puppets. In a way, he wants to feel their comfort. As he grows older, he became a Suna shinobi. I was astonished yet proud of him. After trying to cope with the loss of his parents, he was an elite of using puppets to eliminate the enemies. But suddenly, my grandson's personality changed."

Misa furrowed her brows "What happened?"

Chiyo let out a deep sigh "His desire was no longer about his parent's love. He wanted his works to last for eternity. My grandson went on to commit horrendous acts that were ruthless for a human-being.