An Assassin amongst Shinobi

Chapter Three: An Assassin's Legend

X.x.X.x.X

'The date is the 10th of August. The evidence I have found may seem conclusive, but with every discovery I seem to distance myself further and further away from the truth. I've researched it for many years and I feel as though the hole that separates me from the answer has grown into an endless chasm. It doesn't make sense, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much research I do, the answer seems to always elude me! I had the Apple of Eden delivered to me sometime last year, in hope that it would spread some light on the eternal darkness that clouds what I seek. I studied it, discovering a vast pool of what seemed like chakra locked away inside the apple, powering its mystical abilities. This chakra doesn't feel right, though. Something about it seems...off. It's richer, denser than the chakra of this world. When I activate the apple's powers I pull from its vast reservoir, although even after prolonged use it seems that the pool of chakra hasn't even been dented! It's unending, seemingly replenishing itself. I don't know how, and I certainly don't know why, but the chakra of this land seems to be directly related to the mystical powers of the Apple of Eden. My name is Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, and I am currently on the edge of a revolutionary discovery. I only hope that I am able to finish, as my time is limited.'

X.x.X.x.X

A year has passed since Naruto's official inauguration into the brotherhood. Saying that the day of his ascension into the brotherhood changed his life dramatically would be putting it lightly. He had definitely changed; both in obvious ways and more covert ones. For starters, he had grown by a significant margin in the span of only a year. He now stood at the height of 5'2", which was very average for a boy of his age group. His choice of clothing had also changed. He was now dressed in a nondescript long-sleeved white shirt with a thin, sleeveless brown vest worn over it. He wore a pair of loose fitting shinobi pants, tinted a dark blue, almost black, hue. Across his waist was the sheathed form of his wakizashi, a few scratches marked the well-used sheathe of the blade. Around his lower arms he touched off the outfit with a pair of leather vambraces, each housing the very weapon that made the assassin infamous throughout the lands; the hidden blade. While he did own the traditional robes of an assassin, he opted out of wearing them in public. There was no reason for the Jinchuuriki to stick out more than he already did.

"Naruto, are you even listening to me?" Tenten's agitated voice broke Naruto from his mental stupor. She currently occupied the stool next to him at his favorite ramen bar. She hadn't changed much in the past year, aside from her official shinobi Hitai-ate that she wore proudly across her forehead.

"To be perfectly honest," Naruto paused as he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "No."

Tenten swatted her friend playfully as she resumed speaking. "I was just telling you about our first C-rank mission! I thought you might, I don't know, care about your best friend's life!"

"That's not it, of course I care..." Naruto protested with a sigh. "I just have a lot on my mind lately."

The bun-haired girl brushed his half assed apology off with a smirk. "Never mind, I probably shouldn't be discussing my missions with a civilian anyway..."

An irritated groan escaped Naruto's throat as he absentmindedly scratched his whiskered cheek. "Whatever, you know I'll be graduating in a couple months. Then we'll be equals again."

"Not if I'm chunin by then," Tenten added with a playful smirk.

"Too bad the next chunin exam isn't until after I graduate," Naruto replied without missing a beat. "By that time I'll probably be ready for them..."

Tenten frowned at his words. She was still sore about her sensei not letting her team participate in the previous chunin exams. He had said something about Konoha not being on good terms with the Land of Lightning. "Good luck with that, Gai-sensei said that rookie genin haven't been nominated for the chunin exam in years!"

"We'll see," Naruto replied simply as he finished the remainder of his broth. He pushed himself from the stand, digging out the appropriate funds from his pocket. Tenten noticed the amount of bills he'd retrieved were more than enough for just his meal. Just as she was about to protest the boy's intentions, Naruto rushed off, his voice echoing back. "Bye Tenten, meal's on me!"

The genin pinched the bridge of her nose irritably as he too stood up from her stool. "Thanks for the meal Ichiraku-san." With these she stalked off, intent on meeting her team for daily training.

X.x.X.x.X

Naruto sprinted through the door of his one bedroom apartment, a broad grin overtaking his face. He eventually slowed down to a minor jog as he turned into his makeshift kitchen/living room. The blond blinked as his features morphed into an expression of confusion. "Altaïr-sensei?"

"Naruto," Altaïr greeted his student as he sat on the couch, his full attention trained to a small scroll between his fingers. "You're home early."

"Yeah... Tenten had to work the front counter today so we decided not to train," Naruto answered his master's unasked question. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he glanced at the scroll in Altaïr's palm. "Why are you here? I thought you were on an information gathering mission."

"Yes, and I was able to find everything I needed much faster than expected. That's why I'm back so early." Altaïr explained as he rolled the scroll shut. "I have an assignment for you."

"An assignment?" Naruto questioned. "Another surveillance mission?"

"No, we've covered all the surveillance already," Altaïr stated as he tossed Naruto a scroll. "An assassination."

Naruto's brow rose in surprise as he unwound the scroll. "So you're going to take me along on one of your assassinations?"

"No," Altaïr answered simply. "You will do this one alone."

The Jinchuuriki blinked as he brushed a hand through his spiky locks. While he was definitely caught off guard by this information, it would do no good to show his teacher this. He scanned the scroll quickly; memorizing addresses, names, dates and other such information. "Gato? As in the legendary shipping guru?"

"Yes. I've been watching Gato as of recently. There is more to that man that meets the eye, much more." Altaïr shook his head crisply. "He is a tyrant by the very definition."

"Slave trades, murder, bribery, cover ups..." Naruto read off the list of numerous laws that the businessman has committed in his rise to power. "How does nobody know about this?"

"Gato is very good at covering his tracks. Almost everybody that's ever spoken against him has been found dead of seemingly natural causes. It's taken me almost three years to learn enough of him to order his death." Altaïr answered.

"And I'm to take this assignment alone?"

"Yes," Altaïr nodded as he patted his apprentice on the shoulder. "Think of this mission as a sort of, rite of passage. Every assassin is required to have completed a vital assassination alone before being allowed into the brotherhood. You're the exception to the rule. I let you in last year because I wasn't sure I would be able to pin Gato down before I would have to leave. The only reason I'm still around is because of him."

"So once I, if I, complete this mission you're going to leave?" Naruto questioned with conflicting emotions.

"Unfortunately yes," Altaïr confirmed with a sigh. "I've taught you all I know, Naruto. All that is left for you to do is to perfect your technique. Remember these words; never has there been an assassin too fast, too strong, and too precise in his technique. There is always room for improvement, even for someone like me."

Naruto nodded at his teacher's words. He knew that while he had a firm grasp on the teachings of the assassin brotherhood, he was nowhere near where he'd like to be. In fact he was only at the level of a novice assassin, the very bottom of the ladder. He also knew he could be beaten. He'd learned that the hard way the day he met Tenten's teammate, Rock Lee. That boy was a freak of nature, possessing Taijutsu skills that were far more advanced than his age. "When should I leave?"

"Tonight. I've arranged for a contact of mine to bring you across to the Land of Waves. The informant will meet you in the port city of Sesshoku tomorrow morning. Don't worry about searching around. I trust that my contact will be able to find you." Altaïr explained in a hushed tone. You could never be too careful when describing mission details, especially in a village full of ninja.

"What about the academy? I'm supposed to graduate in two months."

"You've been allowed a period of five weeks of excused absence. This should be more than enough time for your mission. On the bottom of the scroll there is an address. This address is where you'll need to visit before you leave. The man you will meet there will be able to supply you with everything you could possibly need for your mission." Altaïr paused to breathe. "Good luck Naruto."

The young assassin nodded towards his teacher appreciatively as he pulled on his assassin robes. His robes consisted of a long hooded cloak, white in color, with a deep red trim lining the sides. The hood was long, shadowing the top half of his face from view. He pulled on his leather belt as he pushed open the window. Flashing a grin towards his teacher, the young blond tossed the mission scroll into the burning fire, having already memorized the important information. He leaped from the fifth story window, landing safely below in a pile of hay. His mission had begun, and Naruto Uzumaki would not settle for failure.

X.x.X.x.X

'I am close, I know it! My most recent pages haven't been new designs, but more of a personal journal. I hope to bestow upon whoever reads these entries in the future an understanding of my life, of the life of an assassin. To be an assassin is more than just fancy weapons and a strong body. An assassin knows discipline, and assassin is mentally trained. But over everything else... an assassin is human. These seem to be words I'd forgotten in my later years, as I cut ties from my emotions and thought of the lives of people as little more than necessary risks. This boy, Naruto Uzumaki, my prodigy, showed me how very wrong I was. After meeting this boy my entire outlook on life has changed dramatically. He has shown me that while shutting off one's emotions is theoretically the way to create a perfect killer... It is never that simple. I thought I'd left my emotions behind when I killed my master, Al Maulim. The truth is... one can never truly abandon their emotions. Your emotions are a part of you; just as much as your arm or leg is.

I have decided to have a sensor shinobi look over the apple, one that I can trust. I finally feel I am making progress, growing closer to finding the answer that has eluded me in the past. I have to go now, it is getting late. My name is Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, and I will unravel the mystery of Eden.'

X.x.X.x.X

Tanomoshii sat cross-legged atop his reclining chair, a newspaper in hand and a bottle of opened sake sitting on a nearby nightstand. The moon's glow illuminated the room, just enough so the weapon smith could comfortably read without the use of lights. It was late, being well past midnight. A small smile touched Tanomoshii's lips as he stared at the closed door of his adopted daughter's room. He was immensely proud of Teten's progress, both as a shinobi and as a weapon smith. She had taken to his family's trade like a fish to water. By now he wasn't concerned about whether or not she'd surpass him; it was more of a matter of when she would surpass him.

'It's such a peaceful night...' Tanomoshii sighed as he gazed out the window at the full moon. Turning his gaze back towards his newspaper, the middle-aged man was caught off guard by a sudden tap on his window. In an instant he was on his feet, a kunai held firmly in his grasp. His tense body relaxed at the sight of a white-clad figure. He quickly pocketed the deadly knife and made his way over to the window, clicking the locks open. "You nearly scared me to death boy." He spoke in a whisper as he opened the window, allowing the assassin entrance into his home.

"Sapurai-san?" Naruto questioned suspiciously. Altaïr hadn't told him who he would be meeting, only where and when.

Tanomoshii nodded as he hushed the boy. "Follow me into my basement, save your questions until then." He gestured for the assassin to follow him, opening the door with a small squeak. Naruto complied as he followed the metal smith down an ominously dark staircase.

X.x.X.x.X

"Now then," Tanomoshii addressed the academy student as he flicked on a single light bulb that hung from the ceiling. He cleared away numerous scattered papers from a nearby table, pulling up a stool and taking a seat. "I'm sure you have a few questions."

Naruto nodded slowly as he followed the elder man's example, pulling up a nearby stool to sit on. "You're Altaïr-sensei's supplier? So that's where he gets all his throwing knives and foreign weapons made..."

"Correct," Tanomoshii confirmed the boy's suspicions. "Altaïr came to me many years back, searching for a smith talented enough to create such odd weapons. Fortunately for him, I've studied foreign culture and have always had an interest in foreign weaponry."

"I see. So you know about my mission then?"

"Yeah, and I for one am glad someone is finally sticking it to that asshole. I haven't been able to trade with the Land of Waves in years because that midget keeps raising the import taxes..." Tanomoshii ranted as he scratched his neck. "So what do you need?"

Naruto seemed to contemplate his answer, mentally evaluating his equipment. "Well I just bought a new pack of kunai and shuriken, so I should be good on those. I could use a set of smoke bombs, solider pills and a first aid kit."

"That's easy enough. Anything else?"

Naruto frowned as his gaze flickered down towards his worn out sandals. "Do you have an extra pair of sandals lying around anywhere?"

"I've got something better." An odd smirk touched Tanomoshii's lips at this point. He nodded as he quickly disappeared into the back. A minute later he reappeared, a pair of seemingly normal shinobi sandals in his hands. He set the footwear on the table in front of Naruto, "Here you are."

Naruto examined the sandals with a critical eye, searching for any little thing that separated them from an ordinary pair of sandals. "I give up, what's so special about them?"

"I'm glad you asked..." Tanomoshii grinned as he picked up one of the shoes, lightly tapping the heel against the ground. Naruto nodded his head appreciatively as a three inch long blade extended from the toe. The blade was a shade of dull gray, non-reflective metal. It was a perfect weapon for an assassin. "Altaïr has been pushing me to design a pair of these for some time now. These are the prototype, so they haven't exactly been tested..."

Naruto smiled as he slipped the pair of sandals on, noting the somewhat snug fit. He tapped his heel, watching in awe as the blade slid out from its hidden sheathe. With a tap of his toe the blade slid right back in, leaving no signs of its presence. He bowed towards the smith, "Thank you. I'm sure these will come in handy."

Tanomoshii nodded as he handed the boy his smoke bombs and solider pills. He grasped Naruto's hand tightly, his lips pulled into a confident smile. "Good luck Naruto."

"Thanks, I'm sure I'll need it," Naruto smiled as exited the basement via the small window. "Oh, and tell Tenten I said bye!"

"I will!" The smith called back as he watched the assassin leave.

From the top of the staircase a pair of curious chocolate eyes watched the exchange. 'Where's Naruto going? And why was he in our basement? Something doesn't add up...'

X.x.X.x.X

By mid-morning Naruto arrived in the port town of Sesshoku, a small village that bordered Hi no Kuni's eastern sea. Sesshoku was a flourishing city with an upbeat economy, if you worked for Gato Corp. For everyone else the town was little more than a poverty stricken village where many people could barely get by feeding themselves, let alone a family. All this was thanks in part to the heavy influence of Gato's shipping company. The village was one of the many port towns that the Gato Corp. controlled; the local residents all being oppressed by Gato's hired muscle. It was through these villages that Gato was able to utterly control Fire Country's shipping industry. With every oversea shipment Gato's pocket continued to fill, mostly at the expense of the common folk.

Naruto yawned as he made his way down the streets of Sesshoku, keeping one eye open for his contact. He had absolutely no idea who he was looking for. He didn't know if the person he was searching for was a man or a woman. Hell, he didn't even know his target's age. The blond assassin was broken from his musing as he spotted a group of thugs approaching. The ordinary people of the town seemed to give these particular thugs an unnatural amount of space. Naruto continued walking normally, praying he wouldn't stick out to the thugs.

"Hey you!" A gruff voice alerted the blond to the approaching thug.

'Damnit!' Naruto cursed under his breath as he turned an apathetic gaze toward the three thugs. The man who had called Naruto seemed to be the leader of the group, if his authority over the other two was anything to base his assumptions off of. He was clad in a tattered pair of brown pants, a rope belt securing the cloth to his waist. He was shirtless, showing off a fair number of scars that ran from his pectorals down to his upper abdomen. The man had greasy black hair that framed the sides of his face, cut off just above his shoulders. "Me?"

"Yeah, I'm talking to you kid." The mercenary smirked as he looked down on the smaller frame of his target. "Where's your parents?"

"I'm an orphan," Naruto answered simply as he unconsciously shifted his body weight, positioning his body in a way so that he could either attack or defend, depending on the circumstance.

"I couldn't help but notice you got yourself a pretty nice blade right there," he grinned, flashing his yellow teeth. "Did ya steal it?"

"No sir. It was a gift. A gift from my teacher," Naruto answered truthfully.

"A blade that nice shouldn't belong to a kid. Why don't you give it to me, where it'll be put to good use?" The man feigned sympathy as he held his calloused palm out.

"Good use?" Naruto sneered. "You mean threatening and killing good people?" By now a crowd had gathered around the two, most cringing at the child's words.

The man snapped his teeth together angrily, a loud grinding noise assaulting the surrounding people's ears. He pulled the blond up by his collar, malevolent green eyes staring into disgusted sapphire. "Listen here you little punk-ass... This could go one of two ways, I'm gonna give you a choice-"

Naruto scrunched his nose in disgust as he interrupted the thug, "Do either of those options involve toothpaste or a bottle of mouthwash? Because I choose that one."

"So you're a smart-ass too? Well let's see just how witty you are when you have a knife through your neck!"

Now was the time for Naruto to react. Tapping his heel against his leg the blond kicked his assailant in the shin. A blood curling scream escaped the thug's throat as the small blade slid effortlessly through skin and muscle. As the large man doubled over in pain Naruto connected his outstretched knee with the man's chin with a loud crack, sending him tumbling across the ground with a fractured jaw. Without missing a beat the blond ducked under a horizontal sword swipe, using his downward momentum to twist into a sweeping kick. The man was swept from his feet and sent flying backwards. He wasn't moving long, however, as Naruto's outstretched hand caught him by the ankle. Continuing his spinning motion the blond assassin hurled the nondescript thug into a nearby wall, rendering him unconscious.

"Now where did that third one go?" Naruto hummed as he scanned the surrounding area. His lips spread into a smirk as he caught sight of the remaining guard sprinting away at breakneck speeds, intent on putting as much distance between him and the blond child as possible.

"That's not exactly the best way to keep a low profile, now is it?" A feminine voice called from Naruto's rear.

Naruto blinked as twisted around on his heel, a kunai in his hand. He did not like to be caught off guard. He loosened his stance at the sight of the seemingly civilian woman. She was dressed in a plain white kimono, smudges of dirt taking away from the otherwise brand new outfit. Her hair was a golden blond in color, with traces of gray lining the roots. Despite the harmless look of the woman before him, Naruto didn't let his guard down for a single moment. One moment of hesitance could be the difference between a living, breathing man and a corpse. "Who are you?"

"Me? My name doesn't matter," the woman brushed his question off as she motioned him to follow her. "First of all we need to get you off the streets. Gato's men are sure to be looking for you after that stunt you pulled."

Naruto nodded begrudgingly as he followed the woman into a nearby ally, never letting his guard down fully. The ally appeared to be a dead end, and Naruto shifted a gaze of confusion towards the woman. "What are we doing? This is a dead end."

"Is it?" The woman asked cryptically as she brushed a layer of dust off the nearby wall. After a full minute of brushing the lady was rewarded with the sight of a dull red door, the very same color of the surrounding brick. She turned back towards the assassin with a knowing smirk. "Or maybe you just have to look deeper into things."

Naruto nodded slowly as he followed the woman into the door. He found himself in a modest sized home, decorated in a traditional Japanese style. She motioned for him to sit at her table as she retrieved a kettle of tea from her kitchen. "You were expecting me?" Naruto questioned flatly as she poured him a cup of the steaming tea.

"Perhaps," the middle aged woman admitted. "A little birdie told me you would be here."

"So you are the informant Altaïr-sensei told me about."

"I suppose I am. I was told to get you into Nami, without alerting Gato or his men," she answered as she sipped the herbal drink.

"Good. When are we leaving?" Naruto asked.

"Tonight. I will bring you to a friend of mine. He has a boat and will be able to smuggle you into Wave Country." She explained with a sigh.

"Where will I stay once I get into Wave?"

"You're a resourceful boy," the woman smiled. "Find somewhere to stay."

X.x.X.x.X

"Wow..." Naruto gawked as he stared at the form of a massive bridge. The bridge was only around half way completed and it still dwarfed any bridge Naruto had ever dreamt of seeing.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" An old man dressed in a hooded rain cloak questioned as he rowed through the calm waters of the Land of Waves.

"Yeah... How long does it take to build such a massive thing?" Naruto asked as he turned towards the older man.

"Tazuna-sama's been building that thing for a little over six months. After about four he lost half his men. That damn rat Gato scared 'em off. Supposedly it'll be done in another four, hell even quicker if you can kill Gato." The man spoke with confidence, more confidence than he had been able to muster up in months.

Naruto smiled at the normally depressed man's upbeat personality. If just the possibility of freedom changed people in such a significant way, the boy couldn't even imagine the amount of mirth Gato's death would bring to the oppressed nation. A series of conflicting emotions flashed through Naruto's mind as he pondered his situation. He wanted to save the country; to free the people from their tyrant's rule. For the first time in Naruto's adolescent life he actually felt...needed; like he could make a difference. The feeling was virtually indescribable...almost ethereal to the assassin. Naruto's face shifted into an expression of complete sobriety, his eyes an unreadable shade of sapphire. He flicked his wrist, watching in earnest as the blade slid from its hidden sheathe. "I will kill Gato. By the time I leave here, this blade will be soaked with his blood."

X.x.X.x.X

'Why? Why now, it is too soon! I knew this day would come, but for it to occur right when I am on the verge of a discovery? God's sense of humor is twisted indeed. I am writing this entry because this may be the last thing I will ever write. Whoever finds these, my pages of the codex, will be taxed with completing my discoveries, tying my loose ends. The assassin order will live strong without me, I am sure. That isn't what I am concerned about. There is something going on, something much bigger than the brotherhood. This something is... supernatural. No, perhaps more than even that. My discovery verges on the very boundaries of... divine. I have hidden the apple, stashed it in a place where only you will find it. I have put my complete trust in you, Naruto. You are my prized student, the closet thing I've had to a son. I only hope you do not feel my betrayal, in the same way I felt that of my own master's. Unfortunately I can write no more, he is here. I knew this day would come. Naruto, if you are reading this... live on in the name of the creed, fight with an honor unlike that of your shinobi counterparts. Trust in your judgment, but never overly so. My name is Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, and these are the last words I will ever write.'

X.x.X.x.X

And that's the chapter. This chapter really sets the stage for future ones. Sorry for the wait, but I was on a three week vacation with my family. Fortunately now I am back, and I bought a new laptop to replace my broken one. Hopefully I'll be able to push out quicker updates now. Please review; tell me how the chapter was, your thoughts, what you're hoping to see in the future.